1971

Engineer from Salo

Before the first factory-made Ponsse machine is manufactured, an engineer is needed at the factory. Einari places an ad in the Helsingin Sanomat newspaper to recruit a production manager to Vieremä.

An application by Jouko Kelppe, a young engineer from Salo, attracts the most attention. In February 1971 Jouko and Maritta Kelppe travel 600 kilometres to Vieremä for a job interview. After a short interview it becomes clear that Jouko is to be hired as the first ever engineer in the history of Ponsse.

First machines sold

The manufacturing of the first machine is started in the spring of 1971, but the company has no customers. At that time, however, forest machine contractor Eero Vainikainen is in the process of acquiring a forest machine.

The forest company makes a recommendation to purchase either Volvo or Valmet machines, but Metsäliitto's Iisalmi area supervisor Sauli Piispanen strongly urges Vainikainen to buy a Ponsse forwarder manufactured in Vieremä. Vainikainen visits the factory, which at the time has only two beams and a Valmet motor lying on the floor. However, Vainikainen is very impressed by Dino, a prototype machine at the logging site that comes highly recommended by both Einari and Sauli Piispanen. The deal is closed and the machine is sold for FIM 120,000.

The first machine

The first machine was produced at Vieremä factory. Eventual it was on transfer condition in the autumn of 1971.

Through the first ever Ponsse is driven out of the factory, the driver Einari with customer Eero Vainikainen.